The dal used in kootu can vary among moong, masoor, and toor. I typically like to use moong or masoor dal because of its fast cook time. To learn more about dal varieties and how to source them check out this blog post on the different Indian dal varieties. In addition, I highly reccomend reading this primer blog post that goes in depth on how to cook any Indian dal.
What is chayote (chow chow)?
Chow chow, which is the Tamil word for chayote, is a small squash with a thin green outer layer. Chayote has a subtle sweet taste and becomes a soft consistency when cooked. The texture of chayote is similar to a summer squash like zucchini when cooked but with a sweeter profile. It is usually easy to find chayote in your local grocery store but if you can’t find it there it is most definitely at your local Indian, Asian, or Mexican grocery store.
How to cut and eat chayote
Although you can eat chayote with its green skin on, typically the tough skin is peeled off with a peeler. From there, it is as simple as cutting the chayote vertically in half and removing the seeds from the base of the chayote. In Indian stews like kootu, the chayote is cubed and either steamed, boiled, or sautéed with spices to allow it to soften and melt into the stew.
Related Recipes To Try
If you are trying to master and have dal in your weekly meal prep rotation, I highly recommend reading my detailed blog post on cooking any Indian dal.It will go over information on sourcing different varieties of dals and different methodologies for cooking dal. You can then use those techniques and apply them across any of these dal based dishes below!
